PICKING the races to run for this year-long schedule was not easy. In fact, the project started back in the summer of 2005, and even now I'm still tinkering with the plan of 80 races as new ones appear on the horizon when I think that would be a good race to take part in.

I guess the key criteria is that the races have to be interesting. There has to be some sort of focal point for taking part. There's no point, after all, of competing in 80 10km road races around some anonymous industrial estates.

I have been looking for races of character, with a bit of history, with something unusual about them. Geographically, I have been keen too to make sure the races are spread throughout the UK.

It would be so easy just to choose 80 races within an hour's drive from my home on the south coast. Boy, that would be cheaper.

The Humber Half Marathon was a race which appeared quite late on the schedule. For one, I was lacking a race in that part of the world, but this race appealed simply because of the fact that here was a race based solely around a huge suspension bridge.

So I caught the train north on Saturday night after work to stay with friends in Beverley just outside of Hull.

That was a fun trip from King's Cross as I was joined by a raucous and entertaining crowd of passengers in the seats around me, who were baiting the ticket collector, who looked like an extra out of Prisoner Cell Block H, and generally putting the worlds to right. The journey passed quickly!

Then on Sunday morning, I headed towards the race start in Hessle on the north side of the Humber.

The race attracted a good couple of thousand runners. It was also a race for the UK Inter Counties Half Marathon Championships, so there was a fair calibre of field. I think the race was eventually won in 66 minutes.

However the start was chaotic. From the parking arrangements on this muddy, straw-strewn field where these Air Cadets had no idea what was going on, to the start area itself which was not clearly defined, and runners just hung around a waiting area until the appointed hour.

Once the race got going then everything settled down. I had been joined at the start by a lovely lady called Kerry, whose husband and two-year-old daughter waved her off from the start.

A real stunner to look at, this was Kerry's first half marathon, coming off the back of having run 46 minutes for the Humber Bridge 10km. Despite the obvious attraction of running with Kerry, I didn't think I would be seeing much of her after the start.

But fair play to Kerry, she had an amazing run and we ended up running the race together.

After the success the previous week of at Freckleton, when I had started the half marathon sedately and then worked my way through the field, I had decided on a similar approach this time at the Humber Half with Kerry close by.When the time came to step up the pace, it was clear Kerry was working hard, but would she be able to sustain the pace?

I thought to myself shall I push on and really race this, or run with the lady in red beside me in her first ever half marathon.

I chose the latter option and it was a decision which I was glad I maded.

I had a really good run, probably the most enjoyable run of the 40 races so far. It was eight minute mile pace throughout, nice and easy.

A good minute per mile down on race pace, but I actually enjoyed the run, and felt great afterwards.

The route makes a couple of early loops before setting out onto the Humber Bridge which is 2.2km long and stands 100ft over the sludgy brown River Humber below.

The weather was perfect, bright and sunny without being too hot. Running at a steady pace meant I could enjoy the view and really enjoy the race. It was the first time I had run this way.

Kerry battled her way through. There were a couple of tough hills along the route, and she stuck at it. "Talk to me, Dave, talk to me," she called a couple of times as we slogged it up one of the hills. Clearly distraction therapy was the key.

One lady passed us up this belter of a climb at mile 9 and said to Kerry "you're looking so comfortable and cool - go on show these guys how to race!"

We kept the pace steady, and towards the end began reeling in the runners.

Kerry was keen to run her first half marathon in 1 hour 45 minutes. "Come on let's do it," I said, as we looped back over the Humber Bridge for the second time. With a sprint at the end, we made it is 1hr 45min 20sec, which was great.

She was thrilled with her run, I felt very relaxed and didn't ache at all. I wasn't out of breath, and even though the time was a good 10 minutes or more slower than I am used to, this was one race I thoroughly enjoyed.